A Compost List of Over 200 Compost Ingredients

Vegetable Trimmings/Scraps

7 points

Fruit Trimmings/Scraps

6 points

Used Coffee Grounds - from your home

6 points

Leaves - whole

5 points

Grass clippings - from mowing the lawn

5 points

Eggshells

5 points

Used Coffee Grounds - from a shop

4 points

Leaves - shredded

4 points

Napkins/paper towels

4 points

Plants from your/others' garden - that have died

(but not diseased)4 points

Deadhead & pruning plant trimmings

4 points

Halloween Pumpkins

3 points

Moldy stuff in fridge that you're finally cleaning out

(that do NOT include dairy or meat)3 points

Spent annuals

3 points

Newspaper - shredded, balled up, or as is

3 points

OPL - other people's leaves

3 points

small twigs

(but only small amounts)3 points

Clementines, Oranges, Pears, Apples, Cantaloupes

that got too mushy in fridge before you got around more...2 points

that got too mushy in fridge before you got around to eating them2 points

Tomatoes, Cucumers, Peppers, Zucchini, Celery, Lettuce

that got too mushy before you got around to eating more...2 points

that got too mushy before you got around to eating them2 points

Dead bugs

2 points

Paper towel & toilet paper "tubes"

2 points

Nut shells

2 points

Scrap paper

2 points

Junk mail

(but not glossies)2 points

Used Envelopes

(but not windows)2 points

Kleenex/tissues

2 points

dog fur

2 points

cut flower arrangements that should have been tossed already

2 points

mushy onions

2 points

water/broth from steamed/boiled veggies

2 points

apple cores

2 points

left-over coffee in the coffee pot

2 points

Shreds from the home/office Shredder

2 points

coffee filters

2 points

cat hair

2 points

weeds - without seeds

2 points

Human Urine

1 point

Cereal Boxes

1 point

Beer

1 point

Stale pastries

1 point

A failed veggie side-dish attempt

(that no one will eat)1 point

Hard, left-over rice from take-out Chinese food

1 point

BBQ & other Sauces that a past their expiration date

1 point

Fall Potted Mums that are not being planted

1 point

Crab apples

1 point

Orange, clementine, mango & melon peels

1 point

Popcorn - bottom of the bowl

1 point

Old spices & herbs

1 point

Frozen veggies - with freezer burn

1 point

hair brush & tub drain junk

1 point

sawdust

(but not tons - takes a long time to break down)1 point

dryer lint

(but not dryer fabric sheets)1 point

seaweed & kelp

1 point

houseplants past their prime

1 point

old jelly, jams and chutneys that got moldy before you finished the jar

1 point

uneaten extra 1/2 serving at the bottom of the oatmeal pot

1 point

the take-home bags of . . .

left-over spaghetti, mash pototatoes & gravy, more...1 point

left-over spaghetti, mash pototatoes & gravy, Sunday morning breakfast, baby eggplant in garlic sauce1 point

"juices" from canned veggies

1 point

"heavy" or "lite" syrup from canned fruit

(the little that you didn't pour onto your yogurt more...1 point

(the little that you didn't pour onto your yogurt because you were being "good" calorie-wise)1 point

mushy, brown bananas

(that would be great in a banana nut bread, but no more...1 point

(that would be great in a banana nut bread, but no one has time to make it & no one is going to eat anything raw that's that brown & mushy)1 point

vacuum cleaner contents

1 point

cardboard boxes

(big ones, shipping boxes)1 point

Holey underwear & socks

1 point

pickle juice

1 point

dust bunnies

1 point

stale chips & crackers

1 point

guacamole turned brown

1 point

that exotic new veggie that you never got around to making

1 point

the now slimy fresh mint & parsley that you never did get around to using in your salad

1 point

fliers from the Home Owners' Assoc, & local vendors that are stuck in the door

1 point

store receipts

1 point

used To Do lists

1 point

Used coffee grounds from the office

1 point

absolutely worn-out cotton rags

1 point

used tea bags or tea leaves

1 point

old wine you'll never drink

1 point

ugly grapes

1 point

all those "page 2 of 2" that you printer spits out that has nothing on it

1 point

rhubarb leaves

1 point

beet tops

1 point

used dirt from container plants

e.e. summer window box annuals & container tom more...1 point

e.e. summer window box annuals & container tomatoes1 point

green tomatoes that are too small to transform

into Fried Green Tomatoes1 point

moldy bread

1 point

the pulp from the juicing machine

1 point

lemon rinds after you've squeezed the juice

out of them for a recipe1 point

grapefruit skeletons after breakfast

1 point

cotton/wool felt scraps

1 point

slugs

(to keep them out of the garden)1 point

vines, leaves & stems from bean plants,

and zucchini plants, and cukes, and . . .1 point

pizza crusts that the kids hate to eat

1 point

Blood meal (dried blood)

0 points

Alfalfa pellets

0 points

Hay

0 points

Straw

0 points

Flat Soda

0 points

Winter crop harvests

0 points

1 year old frozen left-overs

(without meat or dairy)0 points

Used food/Christmas shopping lists

0 points

pine needles

0 points

matches (used)

0 points

rabbit, hamster, guinea pig cage cleanouts

(but not dog or cat droppings)0 points

bird cage cleanouts

0 points

moldy apple sauce from the huge unfinished jar

0 points

kids' lunch box left overs

(1/2 eaten pbj sandwiches, etc.)0 points

left-over breakfast toast scraps

0 points

the 2 remaining pancakes

0 points

squishy potatoes

0 points

the remaining peanut-butter in the jar

(because you're going on a diet)0 points

stale cookies

0 points

the gift of a fruitcake

(because no one is ever really going to eat it - a more...0 points

(because no one is ever really going to eat it - and you want the kind-thought of the gift to be transformed into more goodness)0 points

brown shopping bags

0 points

pressed board boxes

(that're used for packaging toothpaste, instant ri more...0 points

(that're used for packaging toothpaste, instant rice, crackers, pasta, Morningstar Frozen Foods, etc.)0 points

electric pencil sharpener empty-ings

0 points

watermelon rinds

0 points

the sugar & flour that falls onto the table & floors when making cookies

0 points

soggy cereal left-overs

0 points

hummus gone bad

0 points

the now-moldy bumper from the bumper crop of tomotoes

0 points

toe-nail & finger-nail clippings

0 points

children's homework & schoolwork papers

(that just can't all be kept in the sentimental &q more...0 points

(that just can't all be kept in the sentimental "keeper" folder)0 points

notices from school & PTA

0 points

sewing & quilting fabric scraps & thread snips

0 points

moth-eaten wool sweaters

0 points

used coloring books

0 points

old Halloween candy - especially the kind that no one likes

0 points

hard-as-a-rock Easter jelly beans

0 points

Valentine's Day chocolate box candies that you don't like

0 points

paper mache projects that didn't quite turn out as planned

0 points

IRS tax return forms that you won't use because you have a software program or CPA

0 points

moldy bottom of the pasta sauce jar

0 points

old baking soda (that was used to deoderize the fridge)

0 points

hardened, gongealed drink mix powders

0 points

every pressed board item (e.g. boxes, wrappings) that came out of the bathroom closet & draws that you finally decluttered

0 points

Christmas cards in February

0 points

any printed item along the line of "Go Yankees"

[See my Boston Red Sox - It's About Faith Squidoo more...0 points

[See my Boston Red Sox - It's About Faith Squidoo lens]0 points

the little paper peelings that teenagers create when

they're talking on the phone & peel the label more...0 points

they're talking on the phone & peel the label off of their Coke bottle0 points

assembly instructions after you've put the thing together

0 points

puzzles that are missing a few pieces

and so no one will actually do them anymore0 points

completed Sudoku & Crossword puzzle books

0 points

false propaganda letters from your opposing political party

0 points

hard-as-a-rock marshmallows

0 points

paper wrapper of the Ream of Paper

from your favorite office supplies store0 points

old recipe clippings

for recipes that you'll never make0 points

2-day-old bagels & donuts

that're past the dunking stage0 points

potato & carrot peelings

0 points

now-irrelevant business cards

0 points

pear stems & cores

0 points

pressed-board boxes that 12-packs of soda come in

0 points

pint & half-gallon ice cream containers

0 points

SAT vocabulary index cards

(after the tests ;)0 points

grocery store sales inserts in the newspapers

0 points

all of the paper bills that you pay online anyway

(that you've been meaning to put on paperless emai more...0 points

(that you've been meaning to put on paperless email notification)0 points

white rice, because you're going to replace it

with brown rice because white rice is so bad for y more...0 points

with brown rice because white rice is so bad for you, especially if you're a guy over the age of 400 points

cotton balls that you used to clean the dog's ears

(but not the ones that have makeup remover on them more...0 points

(but not the ones that have makeup remover on them)0 points

empty matchbooks

0 points

cardboard egg cartons

(but not styrofoam ones)0 points

the cardboard boxes that the dryer sheets come in

(but not the dryer sheets themselves)0 points

the spent blooms from the Butterfly Bush

0 points

mistletoe after Christmas

0 points

after-dinner plate scrapings

(but not meat or dairy)0 points

stale left-over dinner rolls

(if you're not going to get around to making homem more...0 points

(if you're not going to get around to making homemade bread crumbs)0 points

construction paper scraps

0 points

the dust-covered dried flower arrangement

in the living room, which is also bad feng shui0 points

all that tissue paper in the Christmas gift boxes

(if you're not going to save it for future gift or more...0 points

(if you're not going to save it for future gift or craft use)0 points

pressed board that almost every child's toy comes

intricately tied to with those million darn plasti more...0 points

intricately tied to with those million darn plastic twisties0 points

flower bouquets that you're saving in the freezer

from that special occassion that you can't remembe more...0 points

from that special occassion that you can't remember and that looks pitiful anyway0 points

junk faxes that you receive

(that you don't want to turn into scrap paper befo more...0 points

(that you don't want to turn into scrap paper before composting)0 points

price tags and store tags from new clothing

0 points

old cotton/wool kids clothes that are too stained or worn

to give away0 points

old shoelaces

0 points

pomegranate skin & membranes

0 points

outdated train, bus & subway schedules

(same goes for outdated maps too)0 points

warranty & instruction manuals for gadgets that you

don't have anymore0 points

wedding, shower & party invitations

(after the event if not going into the scrapbook)0 points

scrapbook decoration scraps

0 points

brown-bag school book covers @ the end of the school year

0 points

your teenagers' notebooks from last year

0 points

thank you cards that you received that

aren't making it into a scrapbook0 points

acorn hats

0 points

paper cups and plates

0 points

pine cones

0 points

2-year-old mustard

0 points

popsickle sticks

0 points

the roll of paper towels that got left out in the rain

0 points

the junk (minus the coins) in the couch seat cushions

(same for the car floor mats and seat crevices)0 points

toast crusts that finicky kids don't eat

0 points

strawberry tops

0 points

scummy water in the flower vases

0 points

tissue boxes

0 points

solid rock brown sugar

(that still won't soften even after you put it in more...0 points

(that still won't soften even after you put it in the microwave or put an apple in it)0 points

the apple slices that you put in the brown sugar

bag to keep it moist0 points

the cinnamon buns that no one could finish

because they got a sugar headache from eating the more...0 points

because they got a sugar headache from eating the first dozen0 points

grape stems

(after you've eaten all of the grapes)0 points

the half-melted ice-pop that your child left

melting on the kitchen table before they went outs more...0 points

melting on the kitchen table before they went outside to play0 points

the plate of food that you left on the kitchen counter

that the dog just licked (that's not meat or dairy more...0 points

that the dog just licked (that's not meat or dairy)0 points

rice krispie treats that turned so hard that they

will break your teeth if you tried to eat them now0 points

all food items in your fridge & pantry

that are not on your New Year's Resolution diet (e more...0 points

that are not on your New Year's Resolution diet (except meat and dairy)0 points

left-over water, tea, coffee, soda that sat out

over night0 points

apple cider 2 weeks past its prime

0 points

left-over spiked punch

0 points

half-eaten bagels & snacks still left in the car

from this weekend's road trip0 points

guacamole - that got brown while sitting out

on the table for several hours during the game-nig more...0 points

on the table for several hours during the game-night party0 points

golf tees

0 points

toothpicks (yes, used)

unless you're really strapped for "browns&quo more...0 points

unless you're really strapped for "browns", then just dump the whole new box in0 points

Inner Tubes of Paper Towel & Toilet Paper rolls

I use scissors to make neat loops, but then my DH more...1 point

I use scissors to make neat loops, but then my DH sometimes calls me obsessive (except when it comes to my closet ;) So, throw 'em in - it's similar but different than shredded paper!1 point

Cotton, Linen

Cotton is a brown or carbon. So, cut up some old more...0 points

Cotton is a brown or carbon. So, cut up some old "holey" cotton sports socks or underwear, and let your compost pile have a ball!

FYI, plant fabrics (cotton, linen) are "browns" while animal fabrics (silk, wool, angora) are slow-release "greens."0 points

Dryer Lint

As long as most of your clothes that generate lint more...0 points

As long as most of your clothes that generate lint are cotton rather than synthetic, your dryer lint can go into your compost pile.0 points

Sugar

If it's predominantly sugar, then it's a brown or more...0 points

If it's predominantly sugar, then it's a brown or carbon. Hey, you never knew that those uneaten Christmas candy canes would come in so handy, did you? Or, unfinished soda!0 points

Pressed Board Boxes

We save all of these & then have a box shreddi more...0 points

We save all of these & then have a box shredding, cutting & tearing party while we watch a good movie or sports game.

Do you know how many cereal, pasta, crackers, brownies, quinoa, Kleenex, Ziploc, garbage bag, tea bag, frozen spinach, and popcorn boxes a family of 3 stocks up within one month? AN AWEFUL LOT!!!0 points

Fallen Leaves

Now, Fallen Leaves are the ULTIMATE (in terms of n more...0 points

Now, Fallen Leaves are the ULTIMATE (in terms of nutritional value) brown! I happen to live on the edge of a little untouched woods that's the little buffer zone backyard of just a few neighbors and me. So, me scooping up a few bagfuls of leaves (that get blown from my lawn into the woods by the grounds-keepers) each year, doesn't hurt the trees, the trees' soil, or the woods' soil a bit.

If you're not so lucky as to have open access to fallen leaves year-round like this, then this list is pr...0 points

Straw

Straw vies with Fallen Leavs as the ultimate nutri more...0 points

Straw vies with Fallen Leavs as the ultimate nutritionally valuable compost addition. However, most people add straw directly to the garden because it adds not only the nutrients, but also texture (or humus) and decomposes to nicely.

Remember, STRAW is a brown or carbon (because, it is a straw - meaning a tube - the insides have been taken out), and HAY is a green because that is the insides.0 points

Wood

Anything wood-related is a brown. But, wood takes more...0 points

Anything wood-related is a brown. But, wood takes a long time to decompose, so you shouldn't just dump truckloads of pencil shavings into your compost pile (unless you're dumping truck loads of high-intensity grass clippings into it too!).

So, that means that golf tees and ground tree stumps and hamster bedding falls under this category.0 points

MORAL TO THIS STORY?

If you've got a question about a possible ingredie more...0 points

If you've got a question about a possible ingredient or what to put into your Compost pile, JUST ASK!0 points